As they entered the kitchen, Zach flipped the light switch, but nothing happened; the old house remained in darkness. Shining their flashlights around, they could see the dust motes hanging heavy in the still air, yet the leaves on the vines were rustling, as if a breeze was stirring them. Kinsey and Terry hadn’t been in the murder house in years. Their eyes were wide, taking it all in.

“Dude, what do ya think?” Terry whispered over to Kinsey.

“Kinda spooky,” Kinsey said. His normal voice echoed off the walls.

Trevor led the way into the living room. “Just put the card table in the middle, I guess,” he said. Terry had brought the table, and some folding chairs for the event. He and Kinsey set it up, and arranged the six folding chairs around it. Then, taking a tablecloth, he spread it over the table, and set a battery lantern he’d brought, in the center.

“Ok, now what?” Terry asked.

“Ghost, what do you need us to do?” Steve asked.

Ghost had been walking around the edges of the room, getting the feel of the place. “We can all sit down, now,” he said, as he put his backpack up on the table.

“Trevor, Zach, y’all sit on either side of me,” he said. His giggling had stopped as soon as he stepped into the house. Now it was all business.

They all took a chair, as they watched Ghost take out his magic supplies. Giving Kinsey a notepad, and marker, he said, “This you should write down everything that happens, as best you can, ’cause when things get started, it might happen fast. Terry, did you bring the recorder?”

“Yeah, it’s right here.”

“Ok, turn it on, now,” he instructed. “Steve, you take pictures. I put the camera on night vision, so it won’t flash, but we’ll see what happens.”

Steve nodded, taking the camera in front of him.

“Uh…let’s see, what else?” Ghost thought for a minute, trying to remember the steps he’d planned. “Ok, Zach, here’s a bunch of candles. Light them, then put them around in a big circle around us and the table. And here, Trevor, take this,” Ghost handed him a box of salt. “Inside the circle of candles, pour an unbroken line of salt, all the way around.”

Steve was impressed at the way Ghost was taking charge, setting things up, assigning duties, and explaining it all. Yesterday he was scared to get out of the car. He wondered where he’d come by all this information. It wasn’t in any instruction book. Then, he remembered…Ghost was from the mountains. There was lots of inherent psychic gifts embedded in Ghost’s very being…a kind of knowing…a knowledge passed down for generations. He was able to tap into this consciousness without even trying. He’d seen it happen before. Now he felt confident that everything would be ok, and that Ghost was in control. He continued to be awed, as he watched.

The others could feel it, too. They’d never seen Ghost be his real self…just the wounded child, and the silly side of his personality. Even Kinsey and Terry didn’t fully know him as well as Steve did, although they’d been around him for years. Trevor and Zach hadn’t even heard him sing, yet.

As Steve looked around the group, sitting there in the circle of candles, with shadows flickering on the empty walls, he could sense the anticipation building.

Ghost continued his preparations with complete concentration and authority. He took out more items from his backpack, one by one, setting them on the cloth covered table.

“This here is the instructions for the ointment. I’ll mix up this, and this…” he said, as he took little vials out. He explained every piece, and explained every step, and what he expected to happen. He also suggested to everyone how they should or shouldn’t react, to the best of their ability.

He pulled out his sage brooms. “These are for after, to cleanse the whole house.” Then he reminded them of his and Trevor’s safe words. Next, he pulled out the silver cross necklace, and put it around his neck. “This is for my protection, as the contactor.” He took a moment to think.

“Guys, I have no idea what’s gonna happen. I’m just gonna say whatever I think of, so try not to laugh, ok? I might go out of here…I mean, like a trance, or something, where I’m letting the spirit speak through me. I’ll probably sound weird, and maybe say mean things to y’all. But please don’t get fooled. The evil will try everything to get us out of here. Just try to stay, and give me support. I’m doing this ’cause y’all asked me to,” he said, looking at Zach and Trevor.

“Now, if y’all have a question you want answered, go ahead and ask it. It may speak, or just bang on the wall, or lift the table, or anything…so, don’t be surprised.” He looked at each of them to see if they were understanding. They all nodded that they did.

“Ok, any questions before we start?”

“Yeah, what I want answered is why did it make my father kill my whole family, but not me?” Trevor asked.

“And…” Zach added, “Can you make it go away for good, and leave us alone?”

“I’ll try to make it go away, and I’ll ask your question, Trevor, but you ask too, ’cause it’s your house, and your family,” Ghost said. “So, are we ready?” They all agreed that they were.

Ghost closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The rest of them held theirs, darting their eyes from Ghost to the shadows in the corners of the room, scared of what would happen.

Ghost began with a prayer of protection and strength, in his own unique way.

“Lord, God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, Mary, Joseph, and all the Saints above…well, all y’all up there…please hear this prayer. We’re gonna try and undo some kinda evil that’s been causing a whole lotta trouble down here for Trevor, and Zack too, ’cause they love each other, and live in this here murder house. And, it was Trevor’s father that killed them all except him. He wants to know why, and we all want the evil to go away forever. So, can you help us, be here to protect us, and give us the courage and strength to make it happen? We don’t mean to cause any offense to y’all, in case y’all are against doing a séance, but we didn’t know how else to do it. So, anyway….that’s all…amen.”

Ghost opened his eyes. “Ok, now I’m gonna mix up this stuff.”

Kinsey was writing as fast as he could…faster than he thought possible, even. The marker seemed to have a mind of it’s own, putting down everything. He held on. Steve was snapping picture after picture, aiming the camera at everything and at nothing.

Ghost looked at the paper that Steve had drawn the instructions on so he could read them. Kinsey glanced over at the paper, but it just looked like hieroglyphics to him. Then, going step by step, Ghost put drops of one vial, into the mortar cup, and sprinkled the powdery one on top of that, then another few drops of a different liquid, and he mashed them all together with the pestle, into an oily ointment. It smelled of sage and roses.

Taking his finger, he dipped it into the mixture. He smeared it onto his forehead, in the shape of a cross, and did the same for everyone else. He took three deep breaths, and said, “If there are any spirits here, let us know, now.”

They waited in silence. “Ok, then…everyone hold hands,” he said. “We are all in agreement together. We call you to come and be known to us.” The little battery lantern flickered once, then went out. Only the candles remained, to light the room. They all jumped. Trevor on one side of Ghost, Zach on the other, and they could feel each other’s heartbeats in their fingers.

“Thank you for giving us a sign,” Ghost said. “I have to ask you some questions, now. We need an answer…a clear answer. Who are you? Are you Trevor’s father?”

Kinsey looked down at his paper, “Ghost,” he whispered, “it made me write no, about ten times.”

Ghost smiled, and thanked the entity for the answer. “Why are you bothering Trevor and Zach? Why the vines…why? And, are you evil? Are you a demon, or just having fun with them and the house? We’d like to have it stop. I’m asking real nice, ok? Please stop with the dirty tricks, and scaring them. them…and…and…” Ghost had asked the questions fast, and now he had a strange feeling coming on him. He felt so cold, he began to shiver…his teeth chattering. He jerked his icy hands from Trevor and Zach, Everyone else let go, too. All were staring at Ghost.

This is a work of “fan fiction” based on the novel, “Lost Souls” by Poppy Z. Brite. All credit for the original characters, places, and some backstory mentions, belong to Ms. Brite and her publishing affiliates. Only newly introduced characters, places, and original elements of this story are entirely from my imagination. Character descriptions are a blend of the original book descriptions and my interpretation of them.

All songs included in this work will be solely owned by the original performers/writers and will be credited. Creative liscense is taken in including them in this story.

No harm is intended toward author, muscians, or people and situations to whom there may be a resemblence.

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The content herein is rated by me as being at the high end of MA (Mature Audience). It includes strong language, violence, sexual themes, including same sex pairings, religious themes, and fantasy horror.